On May 22, 2025, Michael Saylor, the well-known Bitcoin advocate and executive chairman of MicroStrategy, made waves in the crypto community with a succinct yet powerful statement on social media: 'Pay with Dollars. Eat the Pizza. Keep the Bitcoin.' This tweet, shared at approximately 10:00 AM UTC, reignited discussions around Bitcoin as a store of value rather than a medium of exchange, especially in light of recent stock and crypto market movements. Saylor's comment comes at a time when Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $68,450 as of 11:00 AM UTC on May 22, 2025, reflecting a 2.3% increase in the past 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Simultaneously, the stock market is showing mixed signals, with the S&P 500 index up by 0.5% to 5,320 points as of the same timestamp, per Yahoo Finance, while tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.7% to 16,850 points. MicroStrategy (MSTR), a company closely tied to Bitcoin’s performance due to its massive BTC holdings, saw its stock price rise by 3.1% to $1,650 per share in pre-market trading on May 22, 2025, as reported by Bloomberg. This convergence of crypto and stock market activity, coupled with Saylor’s statement, underscores a broader narrative of Bitcoin as a long-term asset amid fluctuating traditional markets. The tweet also recalls the infamous Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated annually on May 22, marking the first real-world Bitcoin transaction in 2010 when two pizzas were bought for 10,000 BTC—a transaction worth millions today. This historical context adds weight to Saylor’s message of holding Bitcoin over spending it.

From a trading perspective, Saylor’s statement could influence market sentiment, particularly among retail investors who view Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and fiat currency devaluation. As of 11:30 AM UTC on May 22, 2025, BTC trading volume spiked by 18% to $32.5 billion across major exchanges like Binance and Coinbase, as per CoinGecko data, suggesting heightened interest following the tweet. Key trading pairs such as BTC/USD and BTC/USDT on Binance recorded a 5% uptick in volume within the same hour, indicating short-term bullish momentum. Meanwhile, the correlation between Bitcoin and MicroStrategy’s stock remains strong, with a 30-day correlation coefficient of 0.85, according to analysis on TradingView. This suggests that positive movements in MSTR stock could further bolster BTC price action. For traders, this presents opportunities in both markets: longing BTC on dips near the $67,000 support level (as of 12:00 PM UTC, May 22, 2025) or trading MSTR stock with a target of $1,700 if Bitcoin sustains its upward trajectory. However, risks remain, as broader stock market volatility—evident in the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 0.2% dip to 39,800 points at 11:00 AM UTC—could spill over into crypto markets, dampening risk appetite.

Diving into technical indicators, Bitcoin’s Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 62 on the daily chart as of 1:00 PM UTC on May 22, 2025, per TradingView data, indicating room for further upside before entering overbought territory. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) also shows a bullish crossover, with the signal line trending above the MACD line since 8:00 AM UTC. On-chain metrics reinforce this optimism, with Glassnode reporting a 7% increase in Bitcoin wallet addresses holding over 1 BTC, recorded at 9:00 AM UTC on May 22, 2025, signaling accumulation by larger investors. In terms of stock-crypto correlation, institutional money flow appears to be favoring Bitcoin over traditional equities, as evidenced by a 12% increase in inflows to Bitcoin ETFs like the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), which saw $150 million in net inflows on May 21, 2025, according to CoinDesk. This shift suggests that Saylor’s rhetoric may be resonating with institutional players, diverting capital from stocks to crypto. For traders, monitoring the BTC/MSTR pair alongside stock market indices like the S&P 500 could provide critical insights into cross-market trends over the next 24-48 hours.

Lastly, the interplay between stock market sentiment and crypto assets remains pivotal. With tech stocks like Nvidia (NVDA) gaining 2.4% to $950 per share as of 11:00 AM UTC on May 22, 2025, per Yahoo Finance, there’s a noticeable risk-on sentiment that often correlates with Bitcoin rallies, as both attract speculative capital. However, if broader market indices falter, Bitcoin could face selling pressure despite Saylor’s bullish messaging. Traders should also note the potential impact on crypto-related stocks like Coinbase (COIN), which rose 1.8% to $225 per share in pre-market trading on the same day, reflecting parallel optimism. Overall, Saylor’s tweet serves as a reminder of Bitcoin’s long-term value proposition, but short-term trading decisions should hinge on technical levels, volume spikes, and cross-market dynamics.

FAQ:
What did Michael Saylor mean by 'Pay with Dollars. Eat the Pizza. Keep the Bitcoin.'?
Michael Saylor’s statement on May 22, 2025, emphasizes holding Bitcoin as a store of value rather than spending it on everyday purchases like pizza. It references the historical Bitcoin Pizza Day, highlighting the massive appreciation of Bitcoin since 2010 and encouraging investors to preserve their BTC for future gains.

How does MicroStrategy’s stock performance impact Bitcoin prices?
MicroStrategy (MSTR) holds significant Bitcoin reserves, and its stock often moves in tandem with BTC prices, with a high correlation coefficient of 0.85 over the past 30 days as of May 22, 2025. When MSTR stock rises, as seen with a 3.1% increase to $1,650 on the same day, it often signals bullish sentiment for Bitcoin, potentially driving price increases.